Red Wings stay alive to force Game 7

DENVER -- Brendan Shanahan broke out of his scoring slump just in time to save Detroit's season.

Shanahan scored his first goal of the series and Dominik Hasek stopped 24 shots as the Red Wings beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-0 Wednesday night to force a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals.

Detroit broke a four-game losing streak in elimination games dating to a victory over St. Louis in the 1996 conference semifinals.

Colorado's will have to play a Game 7 for the fourth straight series -- extending its own league record -- and for the fifth time in its last six series.

Game 7 is Friday in Detroit.

Photo Gallery

See more photos of the Red Wings in the NHL playoffs

The Red Wings rallied from eight one-goal deficits in the first five games, but didn't need any comebacks this time.

Shanahan, criticized for his lack of production in the series, opened the scoring with 38 seconds left in the first period on a shot that goalie Patrick Roy thought he stopped.

Roy raised his glove, thinking he caught Shanahan's shot from the slot, but the puck hit the ice and trickled into the net. Roy briefly tried to argue the call, then bent over and covered his mask with both gloves in frustration.

It was Shanahan's fifth goal of the playoffs, but his first since Game 4 against St. Louis in the second round.

He hit a post with an open net to shot at with two minutes left in regulation in Game 5, which Colorado won 2-1 in overtime.

It also was the first time Detroit scored the first goal in the series and its first lead in regulation since the third period of Game 1.

Darren McCarty made it 2-0 with 6:33 left in the second after a Colorado turnover in Detroit's zone.

Colorado was trying to set up near the right circle, but Peter Forsberg couldn't reach a back pass by Martin Skoula. McCarty beat Roy stickside with a slap shot from the left faceoff dot after keeping the puck on a 3-on-1 break.

It was McCarty's first goal since scoring three straight in the third period of Game 1.

Hasek, who allowed goals at critical moments in the previous two games, was spectacular at times in earning his fourth shutout of the playoffs this year and 10th of his career.

He turned away a flip shot by Milan Hejduk on a power play in the second period, then sprawled out to stop Hejduk from close range a few minutes later.

Hasek also made a skate save on a hard shot by Joe Sakic during a power play, and a sliding stop on Steven Reinprecht a few seconds later.

Colorado raised the ire of the Red Wings in the second period by asking the officials to check the width of Hasek's stick.

Hasek reluctantly agreed to hand over his stick, then made repeated motions to get it back after the officials ruled it to be within the 41/2-inch limit.

The move resulted in a bench penalty against Colorado and wiped out 1:23 of a power play.

Colorado, already thin on the front lines due to injuries, lost forward Stephane Yelle to a sprained neck midway through the second period.